Construction lock cylinder



June 1956 E. L. SCHLAGE CONSTRUCTION LUCK CYLINDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed April 15, 1964 TNVENTOR. fewsrL, Jenn:

BY I 6 -7 y I: zz vlfi June 1966 E. L. SCHLAGE 3,257,831

CONSTRUCTION LOCK CYLINDER Filed April 13, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7/ a IG -/2 F16-/ I F INVENTOR. few-:7 Lia/Me:

United States Patent 3,257,831 CONSTRUCTION LOCK CYLINDER Ernest L.Sehlage, Burlingame, Calif., assignor to Schlage Lock Company Filed Apr.13, 1964, Ser. No. 359,194 9 Claims. (Cl. 70-383) My invention relatesprimarily to door locks operable by keys. In many circumstances it isdesirable to provide a lock which will receive a primary key and willrespond properly thereto and will receive a secondary or permanent keyand will respond properly thereto. But when the secondary key is onceused, the lock is conditioned so that the temporary, primary key is nolonger effective. An instance of an appropriate environment is inconnection with building construction. The builder is given a temporary,primary key effective to operate the lock during the constructionperiod. The owner is given the permanent, secondary key. After the ownertakes possession and once uses his key, the construction key is nolonger effective. It is highly desirable to provide this transition inthe lock in a safe and secure manner but without in any way requiringadditional work on the lock itself. It is desirable to recondition thelock by the more use of the secondary, permanent key.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a constructionlock cylinder in which there is mechanism responsive to a permanent,secondary key to condition the lock so that a temporary, primary key isno longer effective therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction lockcylinder in which the temporary, primary key is rendered ineffective byone use of the parmanent, secondary k y, but in which the owner mayrestore the lock, simply by the use of his own key, to its originalcondition with the temporary, primary key again effective to operate thelock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction lockcylinder of a sort generally interchangeable with lock cylinderspresently available andwithout major alteration in the lock itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction lockcylinder to which the usual keys usable with the lock can readily beadapted.

Another object of the invention is to provide aconstruction lockcylinder of no greater compass than the customary lock cylinder.

- Another object of the invention is to provide a construction lockcylinder without fugitive or frangible parts, so that the lock cylindercan be transferred between its temporary construction condition to itspermanent owner condition in either direction and any number of times.

, Other objects, together with the foregoing, are attained in theembodiments of the invention described in the accompanying descriptionand illustrated the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 for the most part is a cross section on a vertical,longitudinal plane showing a portion of a lock incorporating theconstruction lock cylinder of the invention with a primary, constructionkey therein;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the line2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross section comparable to FIGURE 1 butshowing a secondary, owners key in position;

FIGURE 4 is a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the line4-4 of FIGURE 3, and showing the cylinder plug and ring in initialposition with the owners key therein;

FIGURE 5 is a view comparable to FIGURE 4 and ice showing the cylinderplug and ring in a rotated position;

FIGURE 6 is .a view comparable to FIGURE 4 and showing the cylinder plugin initial position and the ring in rotated position;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross section comparable to FIGURES 1 and 3and showing a construction key partially-in position;

FIGURE 8 is a cross section comparable to FIGURE 6 showing the cylinderplug in another rotated position and the ring in initial position;

FIGURE 9 is a view comparable to FIGURE 4 show- 7 invention can be incororated in a number of different 7 locks and is readily embodied in anumber of different forms, it has successfully been incorporated in astandard lock, particularly as shown inFIGURE 1.

In this instance the lock, details of which are omitted, includes ahollow spindle 6 mounting a knob 7 and adapted to be secured to a door.Within the spindle 6 there is disposed a cylinder body 8 having aportion circular in cross section containing a circular cylindrical plugbore 9. The body 8 also has a radial extension 11 provided with a numberof parallel tumbler bores 12 intersecting the plug bore 9.

Rotatably mounted within the plug bore 9 is a cylinder plug 13 ofgreater length than the plug bore and having .a flanged end 14 bearingagainst the end of the cylinder body 8. The other end of the cylinderplug is provided with a threaded terminal 16 against which a drivingdisk 17 is disposed. A collar 18 engages the threaded terminal 16 andhas a flange overlying and holding the driving disk 17. An eccentric,removable pin 19 causes the plug 13 and the disk 17 to rotate together.A driving blade 21 on the disk 17 is connected to an associated lockactuating mechanism, not shown. The lock is standard. Whenever the plug13 is rotated within the cylinder .body, the blade 21 is similarlyrotated in order to actuate the lock mechanism.

The plug 13 is formed with an axially extending key channel 23. The keychannel is of irregular cross section and extends along the periphery ofthe cylinder plug for substantially the entire length of the cylinderplug.

The key channel 23 is generally bonded near the periphery of thecylinder plug by a pair of parallel, axially extending walls 24 and 26.

.Formed in the cylinder plug 13 and in one rotary position thereofadapted to align with the tumbler bores 12 are corresponding pin bores27. These intersect the key channel. The tumbler bores and the pin boresare designated to contain a number of tumblers 28 and pins 29 of suchlength and characteristics as to provide an aligned shear line 31whenever an appropriate key 32 is fully received with the cylinder plug.The tumblers 28 and pins 29, no matter what their number, are urgedtoward the key channel by means of'springs 33 within" the tumbler bores12.

A temporary or primary key 32 has an operating how establish the shearline 31. The cylinder plug can be rotated by rotation of the fullyinserted key 32, when the key configuration is appropriate, and thusmove the blade 21.

In accordance with the present invention, the cylinder plug 13 adjacentone end thereof and preferably between the driving mechanism 17 and thenext adjacent tumbler or pin bore is provided with a circumferentialgroove 41 extending entirely therearound and particularly intersectingthe radially outward portion of the key channel adjacent the walls 24and 26.

Disposed within the groove 41 is a partial ring 42 (FIG- URE 10).Conveniently, this is a metallic or other slightly springy membersubstantially rectangular in cross sec tion and is a complete circleexcept for a gap 43 formed between the facing ends 44 and 46 of thering. The internal diameter of the ring is slightly greater than thediameter of the wall 47 at the bottom or radially inner portion of thegroove 41, and there is adequate clearance between the side walls of thering and the side walls of the groove so that the ring 42 is freelyrotatable (within limits) within the groove. The outer diameter of thering 42 is such that the ring has a frictional engagement with theinterior surface of the cylinder body 8 defining the plug here. Thisengagement is light enough so that the ring 42 can be manually turnedfrom one rotary location to another about its own axis without undueforce, but altords sufiicient braking or drag so that the ring will remain in any oriented position until intentionally dislodged.

In order to provide a lost motion, rotary interconnection between thering 42 and the cylinder plug 13, the ring 42 has an inwardly directedlug 48 spaced from the gap 43 and designed to be received within achamber 49 in the cylinder plug 13. The chamber 49 is partially definedby the side walls of the groove 41, and is also defined by a chordalwall 51 merging with the bottom wall 47 of the groove. The chordal wall51 is so located as to define the limits of the chamber 49 adjacent tobut spaced from the lug 48. Since the chamber 49 is larger than the lug48, the chordal Wall 51 being a substantial distance away from the lug48, there is a lost motion rotary interconnection provided between thering 42 and the cylinder plug.

When the temporary key 32 is in position in the plug 13, its extreme endlies between the ends 44 and 46 of the ring virtually in contacttherewith. Rotation of the plug by the key also produces comparablerotation of the ring so that the relative position of the plug and ringare not substantially altered. This is true for both directions ofrotation. Thus, with the temporary construction key, the plug and thering can be considered as one unit and can be so actuated any number oftimes.

For the operation of the device when in the owners hands afterconstruction, there is provided for use with the cylinder plug 13 asecondary or owners key 56 (FIG- URE 3). This is identical with the key32 except that it is made to clear the ring 42, being notched or, asshown herein, being somewhat shorter than the key 32. It has serrations57 identical with those shown in FIGURE 1, but the far end of the key istruncated. The key 56 instead of travelling past the groove 41 stopsshort thereof and well away from the ring 42. When this permanent orsecondary key is introduced into the cylinder plug and is rotated, theplug is actuated in the normal way to cause the lock to function. Butthe key 56 does not engage the ring and the cylinder plug 13 in rotatingwithin the cylinder body 8 does not in any way disturb the ring untilsuch time as the chordal wall 51 abuts the lug 48. Thereafter, the lostmotion having been taken up, the ring and the plug rotate together.

After the cylinder plug has been rotated sufficiently to actuate theblade 21 to operate the lock; for example, by a partial turn clockwisefrom the position shown in FIG- URES 2 and 4 into the position shown inFIGURE 5, the key 56 is then rotated counterclockwise and the plugrotates counterclockwise therewith. Because of the lost motion betweenthe lug 48 and the wall 51, and because of the friction of the ring 42against the inner wall of the cylinder body, although the plug isrotated back to its initial position as shown in FIGURE 6, the ring 42is not rotated back to its initial position. In the restored position ofthe cylinder plug, the key 56 can be withdrawn, leaving the lock incondition for further operation by the key 56. But the ring 42, havingbeen displaced and not returned, acts as a barrier spanning the keychannel. Thus the lock has been conditioned by one use of the secondarykey 56 to block out the primary key 32.

The effect of the barrier is shown in FIGURE 7. The long shank 36 of theprimary or construction key 32 can be inserted in the key channel onlyuntil the end of the primary key comes into physical abutment with thebarrier formed by the ring 42 spanning the key channel. In this onlypartially introduced position of the primary key 32, the serrations 37do not align the pins 29 properly and there is no shear line permittingrelative rotation between the cylinder plug and the cylinder body. Thusthe primary construction key is no longer operable.

Under some circumstances, it may he desired to render the primaryconstruction key 32 again effective. This requires that the lock be onein which the cylinder body can be rotated in either direction frominitial, central position. The permanent key 56 is again introduced intothe keyway. Instead of being rotated clockwise, the key 56 is firstrotated counterclockwise, as shown in FIGURE 8. Then the wall 51 comesinto contact with the lug 48 and upon further turning the plug moves thering 42 counterclockwise also until the ends 44 and 46 again lie onopposite sides of the keyway. After this ring position has beenattained, the cylinder plug is rotated clockwise, as shown in FIGURE 9,until the parts are all in their original position, as shown in FIGURE4. The permanent, secondary key is then withdrawn. The key channel hasbeen cleared and the barrier previously provided by the ring 42 has beenremoved. It is again feasible to reintroduce the temporary, primaryconstruction key 32 for its full length again to actuate the lock. Atany time thereafter, the first use of the secondary permanent key 56,without the counterclockwise resetting operation, restores the lock toits shut-out condition, precluding further use of the primaryconstruction key.

There may be provided, as especially shown in FIG- URES ll, 12 and 13,an arrangement identical with that previously disclosed, except that thecylinder plug 61 is provided with a circumferential groove 62 like thegroove 41, and is also provided with a chordal wall 63 like the wall 51except that the chordal wall 63 is in a position to intersect the keyway23.

Designed to be received in the groove 62 is a ring 64 of somewhatspringy material of the same dimensions and characteristics as the ring42 but devoid of the radial lug 48. Rather, the ring 64 has a gap 66defined by ring ends 67 and 68 from which individual, axially extendinglugs 69 and 71 are provided. The lugs 69 and 71 are so disposed as tohave lost motion but to be in the path of rotation of the extremes ofthe chordal wall 63. Thus, there is afforded a lost motion connectionfor rotary movement between the cylinder plug and the ring 64. Theoperation of this version of the structure is the same as thatpreviously disclosed.

What is claimed is:

1. A construction lock cylinder comprising a cylinder body having a plugbore therethrough and having a plurality of tumbler bores intersectingsaid plug bore, a cylinder plug rotatably disposed in said plug. bore,means defining a key channel in said cylinder plug, means in saidcylinder plug defining a plurality of pin bores intersecting said keychannel and in one rotated position of said cylinder plug adapted toalign with said tumbler bores, pin tumblers in said tumbler bores andsaid pin bores, springs in said tumbler bores urging said pin tumblerstoward said key channel, means on said cylinder plug for transmittingrotation of said plug, means including a circumferential wall defining agroove in said cylinder plug intersecting said key channel and disposedaxially between said rotation transmitting means and said pin andtumbler bores, means on said cylinder plug defining a chordal flatmerging with said circumferential wall, a partial ring rotatablydisposed in said groove and frictionally engaging said cylinder body,said ring having ends adapted to lie on opposite sides of said keychannel, and a lug on said ring extending toward said chordal flat.

2. A construction lock cylinder comprising a cylinder body having a plugbore therein and having a tumbler bore intersecting said plug bore, acylinder plug rotatably disposed in said plug bore, means defining a keychannel in said cylinder plug, means in said cylinder plug defining apin bore intersecting said key channel and in one rotated position ofsaid cylinder plug adapted to align with said tumbler bore, pin tumblersin said tumbler bore and said pin bore, a spring in said tumbler boreurging said pin tumblers toward said key channel, means on said cylinderplug for transmitting rotation of said plug, means including acircumferential wall defining a groove in said cylinder plugintersecting said key channel, means on said cylinder plug defining aflat merging with said circumferential wall, a partial ring rotatablydisposed in said groove and frictionally engaging said cylinder body,said ring having ends adapted to lie on opposite sides of said keychannel, and means on said ring engageable with said flat.

3. A construction lock cylinder comprising a cylinder body having a plugbore therein,.a cylinder plug rotatably disposed in said plug bore,means defining a key channel in said cylinder plug, said key channelbeing adapted to receive successively a long key and a short key bothefiective to rotate said cylinder plug in said cylinder body, meansincluding a circumferential wall defining a groove in said cylinder plugin a location between the end positions of said long key and said shortkey, a partial springy ring rotatably disposed in said groove andextending around more than one half of the circumference of saidcylinder body and frictionally gripping said cylinder body, said ringhaving ends adapted to lie on opposite sides of said key channel, and alost motion rotational interconnection between said ring and saidcylinder plug.

4. A construction lock cylinder as in claim 3 in which said rotationalinterconnection is provided by a lug on said ring spaced from but in therotational path of a chordal wall on said cylinder plug.

5. A construction lock cylinder as in claim 3 in which said rotationalinterconnection between said ring and said cylinder plug is constitutedby a lug on one of said members received within a large chamber on theother of said members. v

6. A construction lock cylinder comprising a cylinder body having a plugbore therein, a cylinder plug rotatably disposed in said plug bore,means defining a key channel extending axially along the periphery ofsaid cylinder said ring to move said ends to lie on the same side ofsaid key channel.

7. A construction lock cylinder comprising a cylinder body having a plugbore therein, a cylinder plug rotatably disposed in said plug bore,means defining a key channel extending axially along the periphery 'ofsaid cylinder plug, a partial ring disposed within said plug bore androtatably and frictionally engaging said cylinder body and having endsadapted to lie on opposite sides of said key channel, and lost motionmeans interconnecting said cylinder plug and said ring for rotating saidring ends to lie on the same side. of said key channel upon rotation ofsaid cylinder plug. I

8. A construction lock cylinder comprising a cylinder body having a plugbore therein, a cylinder plug rotatably disposed in said plug bore,means defining a key channel extending axially in said cylinder plug,means defining a cross channel in said cylinder plug intersecting saidkey channel between the ends thereof, a barrier in said cross channeland movable between a first position within said key channel and asecond position out of said key channel, and means depending uponrelative rotation between said cylinder plug and said cylinder body formoving said barrier between said first position and said secondposition.

9. A construction lock cylinder comprising a cylinder body having a plugbore therein, a cylinder plug rotatably disposed in said plug bore,means defining a key channel extending axially in said cylinder plug,means defining a cross channel in said cylinder plug and intersectingsaid key channel, a barrier in said cross channel, means rcsponsive torelative rotation between said cylinder body and said cylinder plug formoving said barrier between one position blocking said key channel andanother position out of said key channel, and means for frictionallyholding said barrier in said positions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,650,568 11/1927Hurd 338 1,788,834. 1/1931 Hurd 70-340 1,913,963 6/1933 Shinn 70-3681,914,639 6/1933 Hurd 70-369 2,748,590 6/ 1956 Kubik et a1 70 -3672,877,638 3/1959 Muttart 70 -367 X PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, PrimaryExaminer.

P. TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner.

6. A CONSTRUCTION LOCK CYLINDER COMPRISING A CYLINDER BODY HAVING A PLUGBORE THEREIN, A CYLINDER PLUG ROTATABLY DISPOSED IN SAID PLUG BORE,MEANS DEFINING A KEY CHANNEL EXTENDING AXIALLY ALONG THE PERIPHERY OFSAID CYLINDRICAL PLUG, A PARTIAL RING ROTATABLY ENGAGING SAID CYLINDERBODY AND HAVING ENDS ADAPTED TO LIE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID KEYCHANNEL, AND MEANS ON SAID CYLINDER PLUG FOR ROTATING SAID RING TO MOVESAID ENDS TO LIE ON THE SAME SIDE OF SAID KEY CHANNEL.